Improvement in lifting-springs for watch-cases



C. L. THIEBY.

Lifting- Springs for Watch-Cases. I N0 157 944, PatentedDec.22,l874.

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THE GRAPHICCO, PH OTO-UTH.39& r! PARK PLACE, MY,

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIOE.

CHARLES L. THIEBY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT lN LlFTlNG-SPRINGS FOR WATCH-CASES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.1 57.9 1 1, dated December 22,1874; application filed February 16, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES LOUIS THIERY, of Boston, Suffolk county, Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Watch-Case Springs, of which the following is a specification:

This improvement consists in the peculiar construction of a spring, whereby I obtain, in one piece of metal, three distinct springs two for the purpose of elevating the cover, and one constituting part of the catch which locks the cover in a closed state-the whole being so formed as to remain firmly in place withoutscrews or other extraneous means.

On the 1st day of November, 1870, Letters Patent of the United States numbered 108,847 were issued to me for improvements in watchcase springs, in which two springs were combined in one piece of metal, one being to elevate the cover and one to close the same. Prior to this patent two or more separate and distinct springs had been universally employed, each of which was secured to the watch-case by screws. By means of my patented improvement I simplify the construct-ion and obtain a more effective sprin In highgrade watches it is customary, in many instances, to employ two springs to act upon the cover to lift it, one on each side of its hinge; and these springs have heretofore been independent of each other, and screwed to the case.

In my present improvement I construct the spring of one entire piece of metal, which embraces the interior of the center of the case, its two extremities acting upon the cover to elevate it, and its intermediate or central portion being formed with a latch or catch to lock the cover when closed. In this spring I require no screws or other extraneous means for confining it in place, as its own inherent stress does so without further provision.

The drawings accompanying this specification represent, in Figure 1, a horizontal sec tion of a watch-case center containing my improved spring. Fig.2 is a perspective view of the sprin In these drawings, A represents a curved or circular thin plate or strip of steel, the ends of which are somewhat reduced, and formed each into a hook, at, to take hold upon the inner or lower edge of the cover of the watch. This plate or strip is, at some point in its length, preferably let in to or otherwise secured to the center B of the case, in order to prevent looseness or displacement and maintain the spring in its proper position. The central portion of the strip or spring A is formed with a latch or case, 0, to hook under the lip of the cover in the usual manner and lock it in place.

It will thus be seen that I provide, in one piece of metal, three springs, and that by my construction I dispense with the use of screws in attaching the spring, and obtain a more perfeet and durable result, and greatly reduce the cost of the three springs.

I claim- The compound watch-case spring, consisting of the curved metallic spring-strip, A, formed at its two contiguous ends with hooks a, constitutin g each an independent cover-lifting de vice, and at about midway between its two ends with catch G, for locking the cover, all as shown and set forth.

CHARLES LOUIS THIERY.

WVitnesses:

FRANoIs E. FAXAN, W. E. BOARDMAN. 

